HOLY ITINERY

 PLACES OF FAITH AND ART

DOMENICO AMBRASI: ITINERIES OF  FAITH

THIS VOLUME IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS. IN THE FIRST  PART THE AUTHOR ILLUSTRATES THE HISTORICAL ORIGIN AND THE THEOLOGICAL MEANING OF THE GREAT JUBILEE OF THE YEAR 2000, FOLLOWING THE  INDICATIONS GIVEN BY POPE JOHN PAUL 11; HE  EMPHASISES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VALUE GIVEN TO FORGIVENESS AND THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL ASPECT OF  PILGRIMAGES, IT’S  METHODS, THE PRINCIPLE  ROADS USED BY THE PILGRIMS, THE MAIN DESTINATIONS CHOSEN, THE HOLY YEARS CELEBRATED IN ROME WITH BRIEF HISTORICAL COMMENTS. IN THE SECOND PART HE OUTLINES THE ITINERIES WHICH STILL TODAY ARE TO BE  FOUND IN THE VARIOUS REGIONS IN ITALY, OFFERING THE PILGRIMS THE  SIGHT OF  THE  FASCINATING RUINS OF ART AND HISTORY  AND WHICH, ADDED TO THE  NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE SURROUNDINGS RAISES THE  HEART AND SOUL TOWARDS GOD.

CESARE DE SETA: CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE IN ITALY

IN THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY THE HOLY CONSTRUCTIONS  REPRESENTED THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT OF THE ARTISTIC  CYCLE  THAT STARTED WITH THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE AND LASTED UP UNTIL THE PRESENT DAY. CESERE  DE SETA TAKES THE READER THROUGH AN ITINERY  BEGINNING AT THE PALAEO-CHRISTIAN PERIOD AND FINISHING AT THE END OF THE  SECOND MILLENNIUM. AN IMPARTIAL CHOICE OF BUILDINGS, MOTIVATED BY HISTORICAL AND RELIGIOUS REASONS, GIVES US THE CHANCE TO TAKE A TRIP  TO VISIT THE MAIN CATHEDRALS SPREAD ALL OVER ITALY. FROM THE  CATHEDRAL IN STONE TO THE  GREAT  ROMANESQUE ONES  IN THE PADANIA AND PUGLIA AREAS, THE  NORMAN – SWABIAN TO THE  ROMAN  AND NEAPOLITAN BAROQUE , THE GREAT TEMPLES IN FLORENCE  AND SIENA TO THE CATHEDRALS IN ASSISI AND ORVIETO UP  UNTIL THE  MOST IMPORTANT EXAMPLES OF OUR  MODERN TIMES ALMOST  MANAGE TO COME TO LIFE  AGAIN IN THESE PAGES.

LEONARDO DI MAURO: ART IN CHURCHES

THE AUTHOR  RECALLS  TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF  THE  HISTORY OF ART IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE , THE MAJORITY OF  WHICH WAS CHRISTIAN ART. THE ELEMENTS  USED IN THE ARCHITECTURE; THE GREAT DECORATIVE DISPLAY BOTH  IN PAINTINGS  AND SCULPTURES; THE TRACERY-WORK AND GOLD ENGRAVINGS OF THE CHURCH VESTMENTS AND VESSELS  SHOWN BRIEFLY IN THEIR EVOLUTION AND FORM.

MARINO NIOLA: FOR BLESSINGS  RECEIVED

RAPTURE, STIGMATA, APPARITIONS, NIGHT FLIGHTS. BLOODY ICONS, MIRACLE HEALINGS, EPIDEMICS DEFEATED, DEMONS DRIVEN OUT. A TRIP THROUGH SPACE AND TIME, AMONG  RITES AND FORMS OF WORSHIP IN WHICH  AN ECHO OF AN IMAGINARY  PAST IS  HEARD. A  MAP SUSPENDED BETWEEN MYSTERY, RELIGION AND MAGIC THAT LETS THE READER  SEE, IF ONLY FROM AFAR, THE  SECRET  DEPTHS OF “GENIUS LOCI”, THE ANTIQUE  MEDITERRANEAN  WHISPER OF  ITALY